“Those who survived the exile and are back in the province
are in great trouble and disgrace.
The wall of Jerusalem is broken down,
and its gates have been burned with fire.”
(Nehemiah 1:3)
This is a blog unlike any I have written.
Every month for over thirty years, I have written about addiction, recovery, spiritual formation and Christian discipleship, integrating some of my personal and ministry challenges, disappointments, shortcomings, and lessons I have learned (or trying to). My intention has been to tell some of the story of human brokenness against the backdrop of God’s grace. My hope has been that you, the reader, would occasionally find something of value (e.g., an insight, a reminder, or maybe just a little extra motivation) to aid you in your quest to live faithfully as God’s reconciling agents in the various arenas you have been called.
But I must set aside those goals in this newsletter. I need to bring you up to date on a critical situation.
Our main facility on Detroit’s west side (Old Redford), home to our male residents and corporate offices since 1990, is in vital need of repair. If you have never visited our campus, it is a lovely, all brick 30,000 square foot complex (originally a retirement center) nestled upon 5.5 acres of majestic oak trees. The main building was erected in 1937 with a smaller addition affixed in the late 1950s. It has a character of its own—a lobby with a grand staircase, an ornate slate roof, marble fireplaces with wood mantles, tall plaster ceilings with crown molding and large period windows, along with quaint dormitories and appropriate office space. We are tucked away in a relatively secluded area where deer are spotted daily. Since our occupation, we have acquired additional land contiguous with our property which can be developed according to our needs (e.g., a reflection-meditation area, athletic field, a mechanic’s garage and pole barn, recreation center, etc.).
We bought the property for a steal, $300,000. We have made some modest renovations (bathrooms, boiler system, networking infrastructure, along with normal cosmetic improvements). Of course, with a building that is nearly one hundred years old, we’ve had to address plumbing and electrical problems and fix or replace smaller ticket items. The building itself has a solid foundation and exceptionally good “bones,” and we have invested very little in the thirty-six years we have owned the campus.
BUT that will all need to significantly change over the next three to five years. We have remained steadfast in our mission to bring hope, help, and healing in Jesus’ name to those suffering from drug and alcohol abuse but mounting building needs are pressing upon us. We can apply bandages for only so long before major surgery has to be performed. Now is the hour of reckoning.
Last fall, we could not get our boiler operating until mid-November. Even then, it ran at only fifty percent capacity. A specialist in the field carefully examined the entire system and remarked, “You have fourth stage cancer.” That said, it would be a miracle if we could squeak out another season of operation. The truth is, we need to replace the entire boiler system (along with every radiator in every room) with a whole new HVAC system if we are going to be energy efficient. Additionally, we will have to replace one part of our building’s roof alone and address other minor leaks. We must also re-window and re-insulate the entire building (hey, we got a good eighty-nine years!). A new fire suppression system must also be installed to meet code. I could go on. The list is long.
The good news is that we have a team of experts in various disciplines (all volunteering their time) who have been hard at work for several months fact finding, analyzing data, consulting other experts in their respective fields, determining next best steps, vetting vendors, and establishing a long-term plan of preventative care and maintenance. We want to do things right and with excellence. And we do not want to throw good money after bad.
The other good news is that we have no debt, nor do we plan on going into debt.
This is a pivotal point in our history. The safety and integrity of our facilities is fundamental to the execution of our mission both now and in the decades to come.
We are a faith-based, non-profit, ecclesiastical corporation that depends on the goodwill of people . . . like you. We have served the greater Detroit and Flint areas for sixty-two and forty years, respectively. Every day, we house, feed, and provide Christ-centered care for nearly sixty recovering addicts. That alone takes over one million dollars each year. To those of you who have made this possible, . . . THANK YOU!
Our mission, however, is at risk. We are going to need to raise an additional $2.5-3 million to get things in order on the home front. The sooner we can acquire the necessary funding, the sooner we can get to business. We are ready on our end and trusting the Lord to meet these needs.
The time is now. Will you help us rebuild the walls?
A crisis is nothing more than an opportunity for God to show himself strong.
